10/30/2016

We were stopped at the traffic light exiting my neighborhood the other day and a fellow pedaled his bicycle across the four-lane highway into our neighborhood. He was older and looked familiar. From the passenger side of the car, I asked, “Is that ____ ________?” I try not to say this fellow’s name and I don’t feel good about typing it, so I apologize for the blanks.

We agreed that it seemed to be him, but I don’t know for sure. I do know for sure that he lives in our neighborhood, a couple of blocks away and not too far if you wanted to walk right to the doorstep.

Not thinking much about it, I got back home and started wondering about where I was and what I was doing when this fellow had his couple of seconds of notoriety that would last him until the present and put him in my neighborhood.

09/29/2016

The other day I was visiting my in-laws and picked up a little book they had been given years ago called, “The World According to Mister Rogers.” It was simply a collection of Mister Rogers (Fred Rogers) thoughts on “Important Things to Remember.” One of the quotes struck me as quite appropriate. On page 181, Mister Rogers had the following to say, “I find out more and more every day how important it is for people to share their memories.”

That is so very true…

It reminded me of a story “Mr. T” had recently shared regarding his family. No, not the “Mr. T” with the Mohawk haircut and jewelry who rode around with “The-A Team” in the 1980s and fought Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone in Rocky III. My “Mr. T” was my high school history teacher, who everyone loved and still loves years later. He and his wife just had that kind of impact on their students.

09/14/2016

I’m about four weeks into an empty house… One college graduate out in the workforce and two college students more than a ten-hour drive from home. How am I doing? How are they doing?

I have a little more time on my hands, I’ve gotten into new hobbies and new adventures, but of course, I always miss my children.

While working the left door at church, I’ve had quite a few discussions about being an “empty nester.” When working the left door, I like to think that “my side” of the sanctuary is more occupied than the others. It is a bit vain and I shouldn’t think that… but statistically speaking it is a fact.

09/12/2016

The pest control fellow comes to my house every month, doing the outside one month, then the inside the next month. This month was an “inside month.” It drives the dogs crazy, but I guess it is one of those things that just needs to be done. He usually comes when I’m not at home, so it is rare that I get to see him.

The other day I got a desperate message from home, “The Bug Man found a snakeskin in the garage.” We’ve all seen snakeskins before, but this one was in the garage and logically you have to think that a snake left it behind or one of the dogs drug it in there. I don’t have those kind of dogs. They are not much on toting stuff around. They would have probably just eaten it.

The message was desperate and simple, “You (meaning me) have to do something about it right now!” My first response, “Well, where is the snakeskin now?” It seems the Bug Man left the snakeskin in the garage where he found it, either for me to examine or because he was too scared or lazy to pick it up.

09/08/2016

When you are caught “running around,” I can only imagine that it is not a very fun experience. As a matter of fact, some folks meet their demise when their significant other finds out that they have been seeing another woman, man or barber…

Therefore, rather than being caught, I have decided to just “fess up.” My barber of many years, “Becca the Barber,” has always been a friend, kind and has wonderful tattoos that she has shown me. I have followed her around to no less than three salons in my hometown. Hairdressers seem to move around a lot, kind of like Methodist preachers. That never bothered me, I was loyal for the most part. There was the one time I cheated with the hairdresser named “Angel.” Being that it was with “an Angel,” I kind of got away with it.

09/04/2016

While driving to work, I had this incredible clean smell and feeling for my 35 minute commute… I just felt like I was still in the shower or something. My senses seemed to be magnified. It was a really good feeling.

I had used some of this green Irish bath soap that I normally do not get to use. The issue is that some people in my house do not want me to smell “lucky” I suppose. Some of this green Irish soap showed up in the guest bathroom in our basement and I decided to go take a shower in the basement on this particular morning.

Naturally, I was happy to find the green Irish soap, which I assume my brother had left from his recent visit. I did a little Irish jig or something and enjoyed the shower in my basement; my basement shower has received many awards (or at least compliments) from guests for water pressure. Never underestimate the value of good water pressure…

08/21/2016

There is no shortage of lists in magazines, books and on the internet discussing the Best Colleges in the US, the Best College Investments, the Best Small Colleges, etc. You have probably seen the lists and probably understand like I do, that they are just lists. They generally have data and sophisticated ways of ranking the schools. When you get down to the nitty-gritty, I think the “best school” for you or your child should be the one that feels the best to you (that you can afford).

Having taken one daughter back to college last week and my son leaving for his first year of college this week, things like this cross my mind. I’m also always investigating what these “List People” think the best to way to success is once you get to college, so I can compare it to my advice.

07/19/2016

This morning I drove to work and it took me about 40 minutes, which is not unusual given the morning traffic, road construction and tourists that are in my area this time of year. Right after I exited the interstate heading into work, I realized I had left my computer at home. It was very unfortunate, because it’s not something I can simply do without. So, I turned around and headed back home through worse traffic.

We often head off on the right track and through mistakes or our own forgetfulness, we just jump the tracks. I made the best of it, listening to the radio and calling a couple of folks I needed to check on.

One of those folks was a good friend back home, whose son was drafted in the latest Major League Baseball selections. I’ve written about this young man before, about how my first memory of him was when he about five years-old. I asked him how he was doing, rubbed his curly blonde head and he promptly walloped me. He punched me with a man-sized punch. Needless to say, years later, he still hits the baseball the same way.

06/23/2016

On Friday nights, I like to go to the Thai restaurant about five minutes from my house. I always sit at the bar and wait on my take-out order and talk to all of the servers, the other regulars and Moony, whose name I never spell or say correctly. I’ve known her for years – she and her husband own the place. They are good people, who work hard and make good food.

Moony has two children, a daughter in high school and a son about to go away to college and chase his dreams – just like mine. Her son loves computers, gaming and will play soccer in college. My son loves computers, gaming and music – he will chase his dreams and a college education in Nashville, Tennessee.

I’m never in a hurry when I go to get take-out, if I were, I’d call ahead. I never call ahead, because I like sitting at the bar and playing with the remote control surfing the channels. I seldom get to do that at home.

05/19/2016

With my son nearing the end of his senior year in high school, I wanted to write him a letter and put it in his brown paper bag lunch this morning, but I didn’t. He will read this though, and hopefully understand what I am trying to say.

“Dear Son,

I’m sure you noticed something a little different about your peanut butter and jelly sandwich at lunch today. At least I hope you did. I understand that you are used to having it the ‘usual’ way, but last night I needed to make it a different way.